Honorable Mention
by TheSilentSenshi
Summary: Seigaku throws a Halloween bash, and Atobe wonders why he didn’t win the Pumpkin Carving contest. AtoRyo Oneshot


**Honorable Mention**

**Fandom**: Prince of Tennis

**Pairing**: AtoRyo

**Rating**: G

**Disclaimer**: The PoT boys don't belong to me, but I'm still negotiating..

**Summary**: Seigaku throws a Halloween bash, and Atobe wonders why he didn't win the Pumpkin Carving contest.

**Wordcount**: 1,226

**Notes**: Oneshot! Written for seasonalcrack's 10 word challenge: Jack O Lantern

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_Honorable Mention_

It was October at Seigaku, and apparently Echizen Ryoma's sempai-tachi had decided to throw a large scale Halloween picnic for the Tennis club.

Ryoma had tried to talk them out of it, but had somehow been made the person in charge instead. Something about him having lived in America and being more familiar with the holiday customs. He wasn't sure what had given his sempai that notion but had been too tired to argue with them.

Instead he just made up a list of things that came to mind and handed it off to Tezuka to handle. It was none of his business. If his fellow regulars wanted to have a party they could do the work.

He did feel a little bad for shoving his duties onto Tezuka, but the older boy hadn't complained so Ryoma decided it probably wasn't that bad. Their captain was surely a better choice for event organizer anyway.

However his teammates had left out one little detail in their plans. He wasn't sure how it had happened, but word of their party had spread to rival schools, apparently with invitations. Fuji Yuuta was there, and apparently a uninvited Mizuki had tagged along. Fuji Shuusuke seemed to be emasculating him fairly well. Ryoma wondered if the St. Rudolph manager was a masochist. It could be the only reason he continued to come after the elder Fuji, despite his numerous losses. Most of the Fudomine, Hyotei and Rokkaku Chuu Regulars had showed up as well. Even Tachibana Ann had made an appearance.

Ryoma sighed. It was mass chaos. Inui had made up a big vat of special Halloween juice. The only person brave enough to try it was Fuji, who gave it glowing praise. That only made everyone else stay further away from it. Ryoma blinked at the body next to the bubbling vat. Apparently not everyone had been cautious. So that's what had happened to Mizuki… Ryoma made a mental note not to get on Fuji's bad side.

Kamio and Momoshiro were arguing over who would get to bob for apples first. Apparently they decided to make it a contest. Ann was trying to prevent them from drowning themselves. It looked like she was only partly successful.

Eiji and Mukahi had begun a contest of who was the better acrobat. It would have been less amusing if they weren't both sporting fake cat ears and tails. It gave a whole new meaning to the term cat fight.

Ryoma was distracted from his musings by a mumbling Shinji.

"What did you say?" he asked distractedly.

"It looked like you weren't doing anything. I needed a partner for the pumpkin carving contest or I wouldn't be asking. Want to carve a pumpkin together?"

Ryoma looked at him curiously. He was going to say no when a sudden thought struck him. "Sure. I won't actually touch the insides though."

"Figures. Arrogant first year. We weren't that arrogant. I should teach him a lesson… but I need a partner."

Ryoma had already tuned the Fudomine player out. He winced when he felt an arm suddenly drape across his shoulders.

"Sorry, Ibu, but you can't have him." Came a voice from just behind.

"What? The Hyotei captain is too arrogant." Shinji mumbled annoyed, "Echizen shouldn't let him do that. Treating him like his property."

Atobe just raised his eyebrow. It's not like he would be one to deny that. He was infamous for his arrogance.

Ryoma sighed. He had been so close to escaping Atobe. "I hate you." He mumbled to the boy at his back.

Atobe just smirked, even though Ryoma couldn't see it, he knew it was there. "If that was true then you wouldn't let me touch you."

"Don't tempt me, Monkey King."

Shinji looked between the two and cursed. He wandered away mumbling something about stupid Echizen and annoying Hyotei.

"Now that he is gone, we can enter the contest."

"Atobe, I'm not participating. You want me as your partner, you are doing all the work."

"Already taken care of." Atobe snapped his fingers and suddenly Kabaji was there.

"Kabaji, get me the biggest pumpkin they have."

"Usu." The hulking form trudged off to do his captain's bidding.

"Uhm, isn't that cheating?" Ryoma asked, "Why didn't you just partner up with him?"

Atobe turned Ryoma to face him, his eyes sharp. "Because you are mine and I won't let you partner with anyone else." Ryoma's face flushed in embarrassment.

"You idiot, it's just a pumpkin carving contest."

Atobe lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. "Besides we're allowed more than one partner in this contest."

Ryoma glanced around curious. That hadn't originally been the plan.

"They found out they didn't have enough pumpkins for two-man teams."

Of course. When Ryoma had made the list he hadn't been aware of their rivals crashing the party.

As everyone calmed down and gathered into groups of three or four, Ryoma watched Atobe go to work. Or, he should say, he watched Atobe tell Kabaji how to go to work. Atobe seemed to be more interested in molesting him than actually carving his pumpkin. Ryoma was half tempted to hurt him, but really didn't want to draw any attention to their corner of the Seigaku tennis courts. Atobe was embarrassing enough without having others be witness to him being all touchy feely.

When they called for the pumpkins to be judged, Ryoma rushed to his feet to get away from the wandering hands. Unfortunately, he lost his balance and would have fallen right back down had a strong arm not caught him around the waist.

"Echizen, what kind of coordination is that? How shameful," Atobe said smirking, at the younger boy.

"You are so dead if I find a racket. I'll make you eat those words."

"I should hope so. Wouldn't want people to think I choose weak unskilled lovers. It would be quite embarrassing for me."

Ryoma stopped arguing. He knew no matter what he said the Hyotei captain would twist it around as he so desired. It wasn't worth the effort. "Let's go to the judging. It looks like your servant has deposited your pumpkin at the table."

"You could learn a lot from him, Echizen."

"You mean how to kiss your ass? Hell no! You're ego is quite big enough, thank you."

Atobe looked thoughtful, a fact that rather frightened Ryoma. "That's not a bad suggestion actually. Maybe we should try it some time."

Ryoma scowled. "Never." And the Seigaku prodigy stalked off, leaving a smiling Hyotei captain behind. Atobe did so love a challenge.

When the contest results came in Atobe was in a state of shock. His pumpkin, which he had worked so hard on (though in fact it was Kabaji that had done all the work), had not gotten First place. Or Second. Not even Third. It had gotten an Honorable mention for the skilled execution. That's it. Atobe studied his pumpkin carefully, eyeing it critically, wondering what could have gone wrong. To him it was the best of all of them. Then again, he was biased.

Ryoma, who was under no such delusions, was currently having a hard time restraining his amusement at the situation.

"Atobe, only you would think a pumpkin with your face carved in it would deserve First Place."

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The End

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author's rambles: xD Narcissist love.

Feedback equals food for the soul

11/4/06


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